‘Ayodhya Parv 2025’ – A Three-Day Celebration of Faith, Culture, and Dialogue at IGNCA

Dedicated to the glory of Ayodhya — a revered centre of Indian culture, art, and devotion – and counted among India’s significant cultural festivals, ‘Ayodhya Parv 2025’  will be held from 11 to 13 April at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Janpath, New Delhi. This three-day cultural celebration will serve as a confluence of devotion, classical traditions, and dialogue, bringing together saints, cultural thinkers, policymakers, scholars, and artists from across the country.

The festival will commence on 11 April at 3:00 PM with the inauguration of an exhibition. On this occasion, an exhibition of artworks by renowned painter Padma Shri Vasudev Kamath, based on ‘Maryada Purushottam’ (Lord Rama), will be unveiled. Alongside this, two special exhibitions will be on view — ‘Sundarakanda’, a collection of Pahari miniature paintings based on the ‘Valmiki Ramayana’, and ‘Badi Hai Ayodhya’, a pictorial representation of the pilgrimage tradition of the Chaurasi Kos Parikrama (84 kos circuit) around Ayodhya.

Following the exhibition, a special discussion session will take place featuring Mahant Shri Kamal Nayan Das of Maniramdas Chhawani, Geeta Manishi Mahamandaleshwar Pujya Gyananand Ji Maharaj, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Shri Manoj Sinha, IGNCA Chairman Shri Ram Bahadur Rai, General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Shri Champat Rai, and artist Shri Vasudev Kamath. The evening will conclude with cultural performances including ‘mridang vadan’ (percussion performance) and devotional singing starting at 6:00 PM.

On the second day, 12 April, a symposium on ‘Temple Management in Indian Society’ will be held at 11:00 AM, where leading saints of Ayodhya will engage in dialogue with administrative and cultural experts. At 3:00 PM, another symposium will focus on ‘The Contribution of Goswami Tulsidas in the Innovation of Indian Culture,’ with scholars from across India presenting their insights. The cultural evening will include a solo tabla recital, followed by a Kathak and Bharatanatyam performance by Richa Tripathi and her team.

The final day of the festival, 13 April, will also be marked by rich intellectual and artistic engagements. At 11:00 AM, a symposium titled ‘Shri Ram in the Essays of Kuber Nath Rai’ will feature prominent Hindi scholars. The concluding ceremony will witness the presence of Pujya Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj, Treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust; Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Speaker of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly; IGNCA Chairman Shri Ram Bahadur Rai; Prof. Ramesh Chandra Gaur, Dean (Administration) and Head of Kala Nidhi Division at IGNCA; and eminent artist Shri Sunil Vishwakarma. The final performances will include ‘Alha’ singing by Faujdar Singh and his troupe, along with traditional folk songs by folk singer Vijaya Bharti.

Ayodhya Parv 2025 is a unique endeavour that brings Indian art, spirituality, and timeless values into renewed public focus—an initiative by IGNCA and Shri Ayodhya Nyas that unfolds in the heart of the capital. The festival evokes the cultural spirit nurtured through the Ramayana and the enduring voice of Tulsidas.

IGNCA and Shri Ayodhya Nyas are delighted to invite you to be part of this exceptional celebration. The festival promises a vibrant blend of devotion, culture, art, and dialogue. All media representatives are warmly welcomed to cover and participate in this extraordinary cultural event.